#FirstLineFriday Submissions Are Now Closed! Here’s the Answer to Our Quiz.

/ Marcia Meara

I had a feeling this one was going to stump a lot of people, but as I promised, this is a book I’d bet that every single one of you has at least heard of. For some reason, it appealed to my wicked sense of humor to use a line from a very well-known book, but which would probably fool all of us, me included. I was willing to be wrong and give away some downloads today, but alas. I called it correctly. Sorry to say we have no winners.

So with that in mind, are you ready to find out which very famous book none of us can recognize from the opening line? Okay. Here goes.

“You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings.” is the opening line from Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus written by English author Mary Shelley though first published anonymously in 1818. Her name did not appear until the second edition published in Paris in 1821.

Frankenstein is infused with elements of the Gothic novel and the Romantic movement. Brian Aldiss has argued that it should be considered the first true science fiction story because, in contrast to previous stories with fantastical elements resembling those of later science fiction, the central character “makes a deliberate decision” and “turns to modern experiments in the laboratory” to achieve fantastic results. It has had a considerable influence in literature and popular culture and spawned a complete genre of horror stories, films and plays.

Since the novel’s publication, the name “Frankenstein” has often been used to refer to the monster itself. In the novel, Frankenstein’s creation is identified by words such as creature, monster, fiend, and wretch, but it is the monster’s creator who is correctly identified as Victor Frankenstein. 

There are many editions of this book available on Amazon, but I chose to use the one featuring what most of us think of when we discuss the book or, more likely, one of the many film adaptations. No one can forget Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s monster, I’m sure.

AMAZON BLURB:

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, is a novel written by English author Mary Shelley about the young student of science Victor Frankenstein, who creates a grotesque but sentient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty.

Shelley had travelled through Europe in 1814, journeying along the river Rhine in Germany with a stop in Gernsheim which is just 17 km (10 mi) away from Frankenstein Castle, where two centuries before an alchemist was engaged in experiments. Later, she travelled in the region of Geneva (Switzerland)—where much of the story takes place—and the topics of galvanism and other similar occult ideas were themes of conversation among her companions, particularly her lover and future husband, Percy Shelley. Mary, Percy, Lord Byron, and John Polidori decided to have a competition to see who could write the best horror story. After thinking for days, Shelley dreamt about a scientist who created life and was horrified by what he had made; her dream later evolved into the story within the novel.

BUY Frankenstein HERE

And that’s it for this week, folks. (See? I told you this was a book familiar to all of us. I’ve even read it. More than once, back in my misspent youth. But be darned if I recognized that opening line.) Next week, I promise to go easier on you! Hope you’ll join me then for another #FirstLineFriday.

 

19 thoughts on “#FirstLineFriday Submissions Are Now Closed! Here’s the Answer to Our Quiz.”

    • I didn’t recognize it, either, but of course, it makes perfect sense. And as always, there’s more to this quiz than just a chance to win a download or two. I love looking at these lines now that I know what thinking of an opening one is like. 🙂

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    • I read it in high school, along with Bram Stoker’s Dracula and several others of the period. I read it again a few years later. But I sure didn’t remember the line. 😀 Glad you enjoyed it.

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    • Nobody would have. In fact, nobody DID. 😀 But everyone is familiar with the book, anyway, even after 200 years! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to think our work would be remembered that long? 🙂

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    • You and Priscilla were in the ballpark, Mae. It has that bit of foreshadowing in it that lets you know that those “evil forebodings” were probably about to come true. 😀 Such a cool opening line, especially considering it’s 200+ years old! 🙂

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  7. Should have known that as I have written blogs about Mary Shelley and her family. These days Percy Bysshe Shelley would have been accused of grooming young vulnerable girls, Mary was his second young wife. Percy and Mary’s son, Percy Florence Shelley came to live in Bournemouth, built a lovely house near the sea with its own theatre, which has been restored and is a live theatre again. One of our local pubs Is called The Mary Shelley and is adorned with the head of Frankenstein’s monster. It is opposite the church where the family are buried.

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    • Aw, I’m sorry it didn’t come to you, Janet. But how lovely to live amid such historic surroundings! That’s really interesting stuff and makes me want to Google Bournemouth to see what else I can discover. 🙂

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    • Okay now–you really SHOULD have recognized it! I mean, I have the excuse of several (many) decades standing between me and this book. Add in general old age and a recent concussion, and I can claim it’s simply not my fault. 😉 But I guess that goes to show that while a first line might pull us into a book, it’s the STORY we remember. 😀 And given the choice between the two, I think the story is what counts most. So you’re “officially” in the clear. 😀 😀 😀

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    • Thanks, Trish. Glad that works for you. I just love studying these first lines that have stood the test of time (in this case, more than 200 years!) and still catch our eye. (Even if we can’t always place the book they opened.) I plan to keep doing this for some time, yet. LOTS more opening lines to look at. 😀

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